Take Charlotte off Amazon bid list

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As usual, city leaders are blinded by the dollar signs in their eyes. It is totally irresponsible for Charlotte to be bidding on Amazon.

Fifty-thousand more jobs? Where would we put them?

Charlotte is already grossly over-saturated with “growth and progress.” We don’t have the infrastructure, housing or roads to handle what we have now.

Perhaps Amazon should look to a city that actually has room for it, while we argue over affordable housing, better schools, light rail expansion, etc.

Tom Schmutzler, Charlotte

Go after Amazon, but play it smart

John H. Clark

There is some comfort that the Observer editorial board asked us to hit the pause button on expressions of rapture over the possibility of getting Amazon’s $5 billion investment and promises of 50,000 high-paying jobs for Charlotte.

I recently heard cheerleaders for it on a radio show and was reminded that taxpayers are often not well represented.

As a taxpayer I favor going for this prize, but let’s be smart about it.

Don’t through subsidies give away the future of too many of our citizens. Young and old.

John H. Clark, Charlotte

GOP leaders sealed N.C.’s fate on Amazon

Why would Amazon choose a backwater state of hate and bigotry created by the GOP General Assembly?

Our position as a leading member of the New South, created by Carolinians like Terry Sanford and Stan Brookshire, has been completely lost. This is a perfect example of how the “big play” is passing us by.

James Munden, Charlotte

Trump agenda is one of economic freedom

A strong America thru the free enterprise of “we the people” democracy is the Republican agenda.

The Democrat socialistic agenda of control by “we the government” leads to economic stagnation.

Thanks to the Electoral College, America chose freedom over stagnation. Elections by popular vote would have continued a socialistic agenda run by a coattail queen.

Ed Mesko, Charlotte

Trump wrong about health care subsidies

Keith Wilson

Both Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina and the CBO directly contradict President Trump’s statement that the ACA subsidies he is eliminating with his executive order only impact insurer profits.

BCBS said the average rate increase of 14 percent would be near zero percent with the subsidies.

CBO said the subsidy elimination will increase the deficit by about $20 billion per year.

Republican Gov. John Kasich said Trump’s claim is “simply not true.”

Health care is complex – we need leaders to deal with facts and tell us the truth to improve it.

Keith Wilson, Charlotte

Families of fallen deserve better

It is difficult for one to understand how the president of the United States can boast about calling families who lost loved ones fighting for this country.

As a veteran, I had to write those parents who lost loved ones during the Vietnam War. It was the most difficult task, next to properly putting dead soldiers on a helicopter.

This action by our president is disgusting and totally shameful. How low does it have to go before we as a country say enough is enough? I have had enough!

Daryl Solomonson, Troutman

Finding your airport in the dark was hard

My wife and I recently visited your area for the first time. Trying to navigate your roads in the dark is a nightmare because there are far too few signs to Charlotte Douglas International Airport.

In particular, there are no illuminated signs over critical intersections near the airport.

In the end, a helpful gas station attendant directed us along Billy Graham Parkway. But we almost missed the airport entrance in heavy traffic because there were no advance advisory signs to get in the right hand lane.

Please fix this.

Robert C. Bigelow, Denver, Colo.

A welcome departure from hatred and hurt

How refreshing it was to see a front-page headline that said, “It was like we had never been apart” (Oct. 20).

In a world where there is so much hatred and hurt, to read about this wonderful love story was a welcome departure.

My wish for William and Omega Bell is that they will be able to enjoy many years of happiness together!